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Tres Leches Cake Recipe

This Tres Leches Cake Recipe, made with a vanilla cake and soaked in 3 different types of milk, is absolutely heavenly and is super easy to make!  

Tres Leches Cake Recipe

One of my favorite desserts is Tres Leches cake.  (If you’ve never heard of this type of cake before, it’s a simple white cake soaked in 3 different types of milk – hence the name, Tres leches.) 

We had a nearby Mexican restaurant with the best Tres Leches cake in town.  I could not go to this place without bringing home a piece, and I could always talk my hubby into stopping by on his way home from work and bringing me home a piece whenever the need arose. Unfortunately, the restaurant must have changed recipes or suppliers…  I was so sad because the new Tres Leches Cake they were serving was a major disappointment!  

Tres Leches Poke Cake Recipe.

For my Hubby’s last birthday, I decided it would be the perfect occasion to try my hand at an easy version of a Tres Leches Cake.   I’m so glad I did!

Doesn’t it look good?  These pictures are of the leftovers of his actual birthday cake.  I figured it would be a bit rude to stop the party and take the cake into another room for pictures, so I had to make do with the three leftover slices for pictures the next morning. 

Three pieces. That’s all that was left of this cake…  It was delicious!  What makes this cake so yummy and delicious is the mixture of the 3 milks poured over the cake and then allowing enough time for the liquid to soak in before serving.

This recipe is super easy and is based on a boxed vanilla cake mix.  I almost think it can be called a Tres Leches Poke Cake since I did poke holes in it and poured the delicious milk toppings over the top of the holes and let it soak in.

Tres leches poke cake

Even on the second day, you can still see all the yummy, milky deliciousness that soaks through the cake.  (Tip:  the longer the cake chills, the more milk it will absorb, and the yummier it will be.  So don’t be afraid to make your cake several hours ahead.)

More Yummy Cake Recipes

 

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Tres Leches Cake Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Jamie Sanders
  • Prep Time: 50
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Description

This Tres Leches Cake Recipe, made with a vanilla cake and soaked in 3 different types of milk, is absolutely heavenly and is super easy to make!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 15.25 oz box French Vanilla Cake mix (I like the one w/ pudding in the mix) plus ingredients needed for the mix
  • 1 can (14oz) Sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup Evaporated milk
  • 1 cup half n half (I just used 2% milk)
  • 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup sugar

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Instructions

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Prepare and bake cake mix according to package instructions.
  2. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Poke top of hot cake every 1/2 inch with fork or skewer.
  3. In large bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and half n half.  Pour evenly over top of cake.  Make sure to get the milk mixture down into the holes.
  4. Cover cake and refrigerate for at least an hour (or as long as overnight) to absorb milk mixture.
  5. For the frosting: At least 30 minutes before serving, Combine the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into large bowl with mixer until soft peaks are formed.  Spread the whipped cream onto the cake, and return to the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Enjoy!

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14 Comments

  1. It was my first time making it and was super nervous of my friends trying to it but they loved it!! I topped it with strawberries which made it look beautiful and provided a nice balance between the sweetness. I recommend if you have friends who like it extra saucy to put some tres leche sauce on the plate before serving it to them. I combined some condensed milk, evaporated milk, and oat milk. Thank you for this simple yet delicious recipe !






  2. Frank Rantzaklis says:

    Excellent and easy to make!






  3. Smith Family says:

    This was a big hit with the family. I made this on Saturday, refrigerated it overnight, topped it with the whipped cream, and served it on Mother’s Day. It was so quick and easy. My husband said this cake was better than the ones he’s had at restaurants. I will be making this again and again.

    Thank you very much for the recipe.
    Rebca






    1. I’m so glad you liked it!

  4. Thanks for sharing love this cake and I’m definetly making it! Have you ever tried it with chocolate cake and strawberries?? So Delish I really recommend trying it!!!

  5. Natasha In Oz says:

    Thanks for sharing your delicious recipe at the Say G’Day linky party. I’ve just pinned this to the Say G’Day Saturday board.

    Hope you have had a fabulous week!

    Best wishes,
    Natasha in Oz

  6. Kimberly Lewis says:

    Hello beautiful! This looks so amazing. Pinned. Thank you for taking the time to stop by! I hope to see you at our party tonight, it starts at 7 pm. We love to party with you!
    Happy Monday! Lou Lou Girls

  7. Blair Lonergan says:

    This looks great! So glad to have found you at Made By You Monday! I have always wanted to make Tres Leches Cake, but I've never actually done so. This recipe might have to be my first! I love how moist the cake looks on the inside! Pinned!

  8. Schulz Family says:

    visiting from sew darn crafty. Wow I have never ever heard of this cake. It sounds really weird. But I normally love cakes which have syrup soaked afterwards.

  9. Heather Grow says:

    Oh my, this looks soooo yummy.

  10. Stephanie Volkert says:

    I live near the Mexican border, so yep, I've had Tres Leches Cake, and it is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE EVER. EVER EVER EVER! I'm tempted to go to the store right now and buy one lol (our local grocery store makes them).

    I'm going to have to learn how to make it myself though since I'm about to move far, far away, all the way up to Washington. So it's a good thing you shared this! I'll have to pin it so I wont' lose it!

    1. This was really easy to make. Even though I used a box cake for the base, it was just as good as that other restaurants cake. Once you pour the 3 milks over the cake, I really don't think it matters to much…
      ~Jamie

  11. Love this! and looks easy to make. I'm definitely going to try this out since its my favorite ! Pinning!! (found you from Create-Link-Inspire)